Mechanical exerciser



June 1, 1965 R. w. SEXE ETAL 3,186,231

MECHANICAL EXERCISER Filed Sept. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l y/wwm/ T l Q 9 24/04/07 19/93 /0 9/ ATTORNEYS June 1, 1965 R. w. SEXE ETAL 3,186,231

MECHANICAL EXERCISER Filedsept, 20, 19 2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \I I l' I I 44 9 M 44 13 3 216 37 3,2 34 36 1 VENT RICHARD 6 30:: I BYOL/VEI? 77 .BOGEN 5/ 5a ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,136,231 MECHANICAL EXERCISER Richard W. dexe, 5801 Vincent Ave. S., and Oliver T. Bogen, 303 Douglas Ave, both of Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Sept. 24), 1962, Ser. No. 224,931 4 Claims. (Cl. 73-381) This invention relates to exercisers.

More particularly, this invention relates to an isometric exerciser which employs a base, a lifting bar, and a pair of nonelastic, flexible members extending between the base and lifting bar, such flexible members being extendable and retractable with respect to the base.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an isometric exerciser, that is, an exerciser which is adapted to exercise and develop muscles by isometric contraction.

It is another object of this invention to provide an exerciser which permits one to conveniently contract muscles against a large resistance thereby permitting the muscles to shorten very little. 7

It is another object of this invention to provide an exerciser in which a pair of nonelastic, fiexible members are extendablc and retractable fixed equal lengths between a base and a lifting bar.

It is another object of this invention to provide an isometric exerciser having a built-in measuring dial on the lifting bar indicating the units of force applied to the lifting bar, particularly adapted for purposes of showing progress in muscle development of one using the apparatus.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the specification taken together with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of an isometric exerciser of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the isometric exerciser of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

EIG. 3 is aside View of the embodiment shown in PI .1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through the center region of the lifting bar taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 7, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts beingshown in section;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the center region of the lifting bar taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 1; some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

FIG. 8 isan enlarged horizontal sectional view similar to FIGURE. 6 showing a modified lifting bar for use with the embodiment of FIGURE 1, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 7 showing a modified lifting bar for use with the embodiment of FIGURE 1, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts thereof being shown in section; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line Itl-1tl of FIGURE 8, some parts thereof being broken away and some parts being shown in section.

Turning to the drawings, there is seen a top plan view 7 ice has one end connected to base 11 and the opposite end connected to the lifting bar 12.

The base 11 is in the form of a platform whose top deck 16 has formed therein in its forward region a recessed area 17 which serves as a convenient positioning place for body portions of one using the exerciser. Horizontal areas 18 and 19 on top deck of base 11 serve as convenient foot rest points when one using the exerciser stands upon base 11 in a vertical position. The base 11 is conveniently formed of any conventional material of construction such as cast aluminum, high strength molded plastic, or some combination of metal and plastic, or the like. The top deck 16 is spaced from the bottom deck by means of side walls 53 and 54 and end wall 22. The bottom deck 15 is conveniently held against sides 53 and 54 and 22 by means of screws 88' and 89.

The lifting bar 12 rests in recess 20 in top deck 16 of base 11, which recess 2% in the embodiment shown conveniently extends horizontally near the top or rear edge 22 of top deck 16 of base 11. Lifting bar 12 has mounted in its mid-region a measuring dial 23 fitted with an indicator needle 24 and a tension recording needle 25 for indicating the units of force exerted upon the lifting bar 12 to tension cable members 13 and M with respect to the base 11. The indicator needle 24 and the tension recording needle 25 coact together so that when tension is applied to lifting bar 12 and indicator needle 24 rotates clockwise across the dial 23 responsive to a pressure or tension applied to bar 12, the tension recording needle 25 moves or rotates about the common axle 2.6 of needles 24 and- 25. When tension is released, indicator needle 24 returns to its null point but tension recording needle 25 remains positioned above that point on the dial showing the maximum tension exerted upon lifting bar I2.

T he mechanism by which the indicator needle operates will now be described. Referring to FIGURES 6 and 7, it will be appreciated that the lifting bar 12 is hollow. Cable 13 feeds in through end 28 of lifting bar 12 and is conveniently anchored around post 29 in the manner suggested, for example, in FIGURE 6. Cable member 14 enters lifting bar 12 through end 30 and is anchored to an end of shaft 31. Shaft 31 is mounted through a compression spring 32 to the free or compressible end 33 of compression spring 32. The other end 34 of compression spring 32. abuts against the base flange 36 of U- shaped frame 37. Frame 37 is composed of base flange 36 (against the inside face of which is mounted compression spring 32) wall member 43 and top flange 44.

v The other end of shaft 31 (i.e., the end opposite that to which cable 14 is anchored) is adapted to be screw threaded into traveling nut 41. Traveling nut 41 is adapted to be telescopically received into the free end 33 of compression spring 32. A rack 42 is integrally formed with the traveling nut 41, the rack teeth 45 being located on the inside edge as shown in FIGURE 6. The rack teeth 45 engage pinion 46. Pinion id is axially mounted on shaft 26, which shaft 26, as explainedabove, controls movements of indicator needle 24 and tension recording needle 25 across dial 23. The assembly, including U-shaped frame 37, rack 42, pinion 46,- indicator needle 24, tension recording needle 25, shaft 26, compression spring 32 and the associated shaft 31, is mounted in the housing 47 of dial 23. Into the ends of housing 47 are screwed the representative halves 48 and 49 which comprise, together with housing 47, the lifting bar 12.

Thus, when lifting bar 12 is completely assembled, the indicator needle mechanism functions as follows. When tension is applied to cable members 13 and 14, that force which is applied to cable 14 is exerted upon shaft 31, causing compression spring 32 to compress. As spring 32 compresses, rack 42 moves over pinion 46 causing pinion 46 to rotate axle 26. Since indicator needle 24 is mounted on shaft 26, indicator needle 24 is caused to rotate across dial 23. Concurrent movement of both indicator needle 24 and tension recording needle 25 is accomplished by a flange 27 on the bottom edge of indicator needle 24 which extends outwardly therefrom to engage the edge of tension recording needle 25. Thus, as indicator needle 24 rotates, tension recording needle 25 also rotates, tension recording needle 25 being so arranged as to have the same axis of rotation as indicator needle 24. In other words, indicator needle 24 is fixed on axle 26 but tension recording needle 25 only loosely journals this axle 26. Thus, when tension on shaft 31 is released (as when tension on cable 14 is released) the compression spring 32 expands causing pinion 46 to rotate in the opposite direction and returning indicator needle 24 to its null point. Since tension recording needle 25 only journals axle 26, it remains fixed on dial 23, thereby recording the number of units of force applied to cable 14. To return tension recording needle to the null point or to otherwise change the position of tension recording needle 25, there is provided a thumb screw 51 secured to the end region of tension recording needle 25 which loosely journals axle 26. Observe that the dial 23 is covered with a transparent window 52 through which thumb screw 51 extends in the manner shown, for example, in FIGURE 7.

In FIGURES 8, 9 and is shown an alternative construction for the means on the lifting bar responsive to lifting force applied to the lifting bar including a measuring dial to indicate units of lifting force. In this embodiment a rectangular block 90 is provided having exterior dimensions permitting the block 90 to sit in a frame formed by a housing 1 of a lifting bar 92. (See FIG- URE 10.) Block 90 is so positioned in housing 91 as to be capable of lateral movements parallel to the axis of lifting bar 92. Block 90 is held in place in frame 91 by means of chocks 110 and 111 each of which is conveniently held in place against housing 91 by means of screws 112 and 113. Block 90 has a rectangular area formed in it which serves as a chamber 94 for compression spring 93. Compression spring 93 is so chosen as to fit in this inner chamber 94 in block 90 and yet allow the coils of compression spring 93 to move lengthwise therein. Cable 14 is anchored as before to a shaft 95. Shaft 95 has its forward end 96 threaded for rigid mounting in an end 97 of block 90, for example, as in the manner shown in FIG- URE 8 where an integral projection 98 extends out from end 97 and threaded forward end 96 of shaft 95 engages. Thus, when tension is applied against cable 14, the block 90 is pulled in the direction of the tension upon cable 14.

Cable 13 is anchored as before to a shaft 99. Shaft 99 extends through the opposite end of block 90 to a traveling block 101. Traveling block 101 has a diameter permitting it to fit into chamber 94 and a projection 102 which is smaller than the inside diameter of compression spring 93. The surfaces of traveling block 101 adjacent projection 102 are adapted to engage an end of the compression spring 93. Thus, when the traveling block 101 is mounted in the chamber 94 of block 90 adjacent the inside wall of end 97 of block 90, shaft 99 can be mounted therein using projection 102 as a sort of holder or anchor for shaft 99. As in the case of shaft 95, shaft 99 has its forward end 103 threaded. Thus, tension upon cable 13 tends to cause the compression of compression spring 93 and to cause the coils of compression spring 93 to move sidewards toward cable 13.

To housing 91 is positioned a support 104 for the axle 107 upon which indicator needle 24 and tension recording needle rotate. A pinion gear 105 is secured upon the axle 107. To one edge of block 90 is secured a rack gear 108 which is adapted to engage the pinion gear 105. Preferably, block 90 is positioned near one end of the space provided for it in housing 90 so that when cable 14 is tensioned block 90 has maximum space in which to travel sideways in housing 91. As block 90 moves sideways when pinion gear is in engagement with rack 108, the pinion gear is caused to rotate which in turn causes indicator needle 24 to pursue an arcuate path as desired in order to record on an indicator dial the tension applied. Parallel to rack 108 and mounted on an edge of traveling block 101 is a second rack 109 which is adapted to engage the side of pinion gear 105 opposite rack 108 as shown for example in FIGURE 8. Thus, tension applied to cable 13 causes rack 109 to move against pinion gear 105 causing it to rotate and move needle 24. Thus, the needle 24 is made sensitive to tension applied separately to cables 14 and 13, whereas in the embodiment earlier described, the needle 24 is responsive only to tension applied to cable 13. Observe that while the assembly involving needles 24 and 25 is as described above the embodiment shown in FIGURES 8-10 employs a spring brake 114 for the needle 25 so as to better induce the needle 25 to remain in a fixed indicating position upon the dial 115 when needle 24 returns to the null point following release of tension upon cables 13 and 14.

The cables 13 and 14 extend from opposite ends of lifting bar 12 to opposite sides 53 and 54, respectively, of base 11. In base 11 is means for extending and retracting each nonelastic flexible member a fixed equal length with respect to said base. The means disclosed in the embodiment shown in the drawings will now be described.

The cables 13 and 14 pass from opposite sides 53 and 54, respectively, into conduits 56 and 57 to the center region of the underside of base 11. One end of each conduit 56 and 57 is secured to sides 53 and 54 of base 11. Near the other end of each conduit is positioned a clamp (in the center region of the underside of top deck 16 of base 11) serving to position the respective conduits 56 and 57 in the desired relationship to spindle 58 (to be described). In this region, the respective cable ends are wound on separate reels 64 and 65 of a spindle 58. Note that reels 64 and 65 have a single common wall 66. Spindle 58 has a toothed wheel 59. T oothed wheel 59 is separately formed but immovably axially mounted against a side of spindle 58 as by means of bolts 60 which pass through toothed wheel 59 to seat in spindle 58. The whole assembly is mounted on a shaft 61. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the reels 64 and 65 and toothed wheel 59 could be separately formed and separately mounted on their respective axes upon a shaft 61. As viewed in FIGURE 2, the base portion of combined spindle and toothed wheel 58-59, adjacent the inside of the bottom of top deck 16 of base 11, is continuous except for the axial hole of shaft 61. The interior region of spindle 58 above the bottom region formed by the side wall of toothed wheel 59 is hollow and serves as a chamber 63 for a spirally wound recoil spring band 62. One end of recoil spring band 62 is mounted through shaft 61 while the other end engages an inside edge of the center chamber 63 within the spindle and toothed wheel 58-59. Chamber 63 is closed by disc 72 which is conveniently held in place by means of bolts 88.

The respective cables 13 and 14 are each wound in reverse or opposite directions upon the respective reels 64 and 65 of spindle 58 so that in effect when viewed in the bottom plan view shown in FIGURE 2, both cables are wound in a clockwise direction upon each reel 64 and 65 of spindle 58. Usually, it is preferred to wind sufiicient length of cable upon each reel 64 and 65 to extend the lifting bar 12 a considerable distance from the base 11, say, perhaps, up to 10 or more feet, so as to enable a user to perform a number of different types of exercises.

A housing 67 is provided circumferentially about reels 64 and 65 as a device to avoid entanglement of respective cables 13 and 14 with one another and with the toothed wheel 59. Housing 67 is separately formed but secured to the bottom deck 15 of base 11. Bottom deck .15 has housing 67 secured to it by bolts 68. Housing 67 is so positioned on bottom deck 15 as to circumscribe spingroove between-a pair-of. teeth of toothed wheel 59.

Latch dog 69 is jou-rnaled for oscillatory movements in bearing member 71-which is mounted in the Wall of one of the pairs of braces 73 which are provided to support top deck 16 of base 11-. Whenlatch dog '69 is engaged with toothed wheel 59, rotation ofthe shaft 61 is prevented and, hence, the cables '13 and 14 can be neither extended nor retracted. However, when latch dog 69 is disengaged from the teeth of toothed wheel 59, the cables 13 and 14 can be extendedandretracted because then, when lifting bar 12 is extended, shaft 61 iscaused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and an equal respective length of cables 13 and 14 is paid out from each reel 64 and 65 against the bias of recoil spring band 62. After the cables 13 and 14 have been extended to a desired respective length, the latch dog 69 is engaged with toothed wheel 59. The movement of reels 64 and 65 is promptly stopped and further extension of cables 13 and 14 is prevented as is any retraction.

Oscillatory movements of latch dog 69 in bearing member 71 into and away from toothed wheel 59 is controlled as follows. To the rear end of latch dog 69 is mounted for oscillatory movements, an end of lever arm 74. The opposite end of lever arm 74 is mounted for oscillatory movements upon an end of one arm of bellcrank 75. Bellcrank 75 is journaled for rotation upon an axle 76. To the other arm of bellcrank 75 is positioned a lever arm 77, such lever arm 77 being mounted for oscillatory movements. Lever arm 77 and lever arm 74 are each positioned approximately at right angles to their respective arms of bellcrank 75 in the manner shown, for example, in FIGURE 2. Lever arm 77 is jo-urnaled at its opposite ends for oscillatory movements at the end of leg 78. The other end of leg 78 is rigidly secured to shaft 79. Shaft 79 is journaled in bearings 80 and 82. One end of shaft 79 is rigidly connected to an end of a leg 84. The other end of leg 84 joins a vertical rod 85 which extends through top deck 16 of base 11. Conveniently, the end of rod 85 which extends through top deck 16 has a button shaped end 86. Thus, when rod 85 is depressed moving leg 84 downwards away from the top deck 16, shaft 79 is caused to rotate through an arc. Such rotational movement causes leg 78 to move through an arc and forces lever arm 77 to move bellcrank 7 which in turn, through lever arm 74, causes latch dog 69 to move to and fro in bearing member 71, thereby achieving the desired control of engagement and disengagement of latch dog 69 with the teeth of toothed wheel 59. Observe that in the embodiment shown, a special mounting pad 83 is provided in bottom face of top deck 16 within which rod 85 is mounted. Also observe that latch dog 69 is locked in place against toothed wheel 59 by means of a tensioning spring means 87 which continuously exerts a yielding bias from shaft 79 upon the end of the arm of bellcrank 75 which is controlled by lever arm 77.

The cables 13 and 14 are conveniently formed of steel, though nylon cord or glass cord could also be used. Similarly, the lifting bar 12 is also conveniently formed of steel. Other parts are conveniently fabricated of plastics and/or metals in ways familiar to those skilled in the mechanical arts.

As those familiar with the mechanical arts will appreciate, the isometric exerciser of this invention can be constructed using a single cable extending from a mid-region of the base directly to the mid-region of the lifting bar. The various parts above described can be adapted for use with the single cable modification.

In summary, the present invention relates to an isometric exerciser comprising a base, a lifting bar, a nonelastic flexible member having one end operatively connected to said lifting bar, means operatively connecting the other end of said member to said 'base for extending 6 and retracting movements of said member relative to said base, and means for releasably locking said member in different desired positions of said movements thereof.

Commonly, a pair of nonelastic flexible members are 1 employed, one end .of each such member being operatively longitudinally-shaped regions of said lifting barJ Means is provided on the lifting bar responsive to lifting force applied to said lifting bar against resistance of said members in alocked condition and including a measuring dial to indicate units of said lifting force. Also, the means for extending and retracting movements of the flexible members relative to the base comprises reel means journalled in said base and having said other ends of said members attached thereto for winding thereon, said reel means having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced teeth, a latch member movable into and out of engagement with said teeth to releas'ably lock said reel means against rotation, said flexible members being wound on said reel means each in a direction opposite to the other thereof, and yielding means urging said reel means in a direction of rotation thereof to retract and wind said members thereon. Observe that spring means is used to bias the latch member toward engagement with the teeth and that there is a latch release element provided which extends outwardly from the base for moving the latch member out of locking engagement with the teeth against the bias of the aforementioned spring means.

Our invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while we have shown and described a preferred embodiment, we wish it to be specifically understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The claims are:

-1. An isometric exerciser comprising (a) a base,

(b) a lifting bar,

(c) a pair of elongated, non-elastic flexible members connected at their inner ends to said base extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof and connected at their outer ends to said lifting bar at longitudinally spaced regions thereof effective so that equal and oppositely directed forces applied along each of said members to said base and bar cause substantially no increase in the distance therebetween along the line of said forces,

(d) means operatively connecting the inner ends of said members to said base for equal extending and retracting movements of said members relative to said base,

(e) means for releas ably locking said members in different desired positions of said movements thereof, and

(f) means on said lifting bar responsive to lifting force applied to said lifting bar against resistance of said members in a locked condition and including a measuring dial to indicate units of said lifting force.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said means on the lifting bar includes a yielding element, the outer end of one of said flexible members being operatively connected to said yielding element.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said means for connecting said inner ends of said members to said base and for releasably locking said members in different desired positions of said movements thereof comprises (a) reel means journalled in said base and having said other ends of said members attached thereto for 7 8 winding thereon, said reel means having a plurality References Cited by the Examiner Of eircumferentially spaced teeth, UNITED STATES PATENTS (b) a latch member movabl into and out of engagement with said teeth to releasably lock said reel E23 2; g; means against rotatmn, 535 053 3/95 Day 73 379 (C) said flexible members being wound o Sa reel 90 045 /0 i I E 4::) :107 13 X means @301] in a direction OPPOSitS t0 the other there- 12 73; 143 of, and

(d) yielding means urging said reel means in direction References Cited by the APPllcant of rotation thereof to retract and wind said mem- 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS bers thereon. 3,068,001 12/62 Portrn-an.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in further combina- 3,068,002 12/62 Bal tion with spring means biasing said latch member toward 3,068,003 '12/62 Po t a et a1,

engagement with said teeth, and means including a latch 15 3,117,781 1/64 Vargo.

release element extending outwardly from said base for moving said latch member out of locking engagement with RICHARD QUEISSER Primary Examinersaid teeth against bias of said spring means. J p, I Examiner 

1. AN ISOMETRIC EXERCISER COMPRISING (A) A BASE, (B) A LIFTING BAR, (C) A PAIR OF ELONGATED, NON-ELASTIC FLEXIBLE MEMBERS CONNECTED AT THEIR INNER ENDS TO SAID BASE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND CONNECTED AT THEIR OUTER ENDS TO SAID LIFTING BAR AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED REGIONS THEREOF EFFECTIVE SO THAT EQUAL AND OPPOSITELY DIRECTED FORCES APPLIED ALONG EACH OF SAID MEMBERS TO SAID BASE AND BAR CAUSE SUBSTANTIALLY NO INCEASE IN THE DISTANCE THEREBETWEEN ALONG THE LINE OF SAID FORCES, (D) MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE INNER ENDS OF SAID MEMERS TO SAID BASE FOR EQUAL EXTENDING AND RETRACTING MOVEMENTS OF SAID MEMBERS RELATIVE TO SAID BASE, (E) MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID MEMBERS IN DIFFERENT DESIRED POSITIONS OF SAID MOVEMENTS THEREOF, AND (F) MEANS ON SAID LIFTING BAR RESPONSIVE TO LIFTING FORCE APPLIED TO SAID LIFTING BAR AGAINST RESISTANCE OF SAID 